The Inner Chamber

Talking about small business quickly leads to some big names.  Did you know that Dell Computers founder Michael Dell started out as a dishwasher in a local Chinese restaurant working for $2.30 an hour?  Oprah Winfrey began her career at a local radio station reporting for $100 per week.  Clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger originally sold his jeans out of the back of his car. . .talk about no overhead.  And New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg worked his way through college as a parking lot attendant. It should come as no surprise that these well-known and successful people got their starts in small businesses.  There are more than 28 million small businesses operating in the U.S. today running the gamut from retail to restaurants, car repair to coffee shops and hair salons to food marts.  Together, they employ 57% of the country’s private workforce and represent 44% of the national payroll.

Chances are good that most of us here in Louisville got our starts as employees of small businesses, too. Of the nearly 30,000 private sector businesses that call Louisville home, 97% have less than 100 employees and 72% have between one and nine employees.  These small businesses and micro businesses represent the hard work and continuing efforts of Louisville’s diverse population including successful women and minority-owned companies and their employees.

In short, small business is where big plans start and big ideas are allowed to develop and grow.  Together, they are the engine that drives the American economy and may well be what drives us out of the current economic downturn.  In many instances, they are the stepping stones to so many of our successful enterprises. Remember Michael Dell? And that is why Greater Louisville, Inc. (GLI), Louisville’s Chamber of Commerce, works hard every day to anticipate and provide the support that many of our fledgling and maturing operations need and should be able to expect. GLI brings small businesses together in ways that make the sum greater than its parts.  Here’s just a snapshot of what GLI can bring to the small business conference table:

Connections
Sharing ideas, solutions, concerns and successes is critical to staying current and making the most of available opportunities.  Programs such as the fast-paced How to Network of seminars, the socially savvy LinkedIn Networking Group and sponsored networking events that have grown to be the area’s largest, help to create a big voice for small business.

Savings
In a small business, every penny counts. GLI makes economies of scale available to small businesses through programs like the KY Rx Card, which accesses the Prescription Assistance Program (PAP) and GLI Healthcare Solutions, which can save dollars on employee health insurance premiums.  GLI’s Office Depot partnership provides exclusive savings to all members and their employees on such essentials as supplies, copy and print services, technology and furniture.

Advocacy
GLI provides leadership and grassroots support for policies and legislation that affect the growth and vitality of our region. Members can become part of the process through advisory committees and outreach, legislative updates and Action Alerts on urgent issues.

Marketing
Through its website, LINK advertising, Book of Business Listings, special events and sponsorships, GLI provides any number of ways to give small businesses the exposure they need in the markets they desire.


Encouraging small business means encouraging self-starters, entrepreneurs, innovators and critical thinkers.  These are the types of people who enhance their businesses and enhance the communities in which they live.  At GLI, we see small business as an important way to a bigger and brighter future.

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